Beyond Ancient Ties: Croatia's Gift of Historically Significant Sanskrit Grammar
Modi Receives Unique Gift in Croatia: A Grammar Book Penned by...
ZAGREB — In a symbolic act reflecting centuries-old cultural bonds, Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic presented a reproduction of Filip Vezdin's Sanskrit grammar to Prime Minister Narendra Modi during their meeting in Zagreb this week.
Filip Vezdin, a Croatian scientist, missionary, and Indologist, born in 1748, spent time in India's Malabar region, where he studied Sanskrit with the help of Kerala Brahmins and local manuscripts. His groundbreaking work, the first printed Sanskrit grammar in 1790, written in Latin, was a pioneering effort in European scholarship on Indian languages and culture.
Plenkovic handed over the reproduced work to Modi and stated, "With this pioneering work, Filip Vezdin became one of the first European scientists to seriously devote himself to Indian languages and culture. This is a symbol of early cultural ties between Croatia and India."
Vezdin's work, published in 1790, represents a significant milestone in Sanskrit studies and Indo-European linguistics. His Sanskrit grammar laid the early groundwork for Indology and fostered cultural understanding between Europe and India.
In 1999, a plaque was unveiled in Trivandrum, India, to commemorate Vezdin. Croatia's continued recognition of his contributions is evident in the recent gifting of a reproduction of his seminal work.
"This book reflects our achievements, as well as the potential we can still realize, and we believe that it will inspire and encourage the strengthening of our future cooperation and contribute to the further deepening of the mutual friendship between Croatia and India," Plenkovic added.
The exchange happened during Modi's visit to Zagreb, which marked the first-ever by an Indian Prime Minister to Croatia. This visit comes at a crucial moment in both countries' relationship as analysts anticipate it will foster stronger political and economic collaboration.
The Croatian Prime Minister commented on the significance of Modi's visit, stating, "We are starting a new chapter in Croatia-India relations and creating the conditions for strengthening bilateral cooperation in a number of areas."
This gift, inspired by Vezdin's work, stands as a reminder of the rich historical ties between Croatia and India and the potential for further collaboration in the future.
The symbolic gift of a reproduction of Filip Vezdin's Sanskrit grammar, a milestone in Sanskrit studies and Indo-European linguistics, marks a potential for strengthening political and general-news relations between Croatia and India. This act is a testament to the rich history of cultural ties between the two countries, as Vezdin's work fostered early cultural understanding between Europe and India.
